Government Executive: New Leadership at VA Committees, But Likely Same Priorities. The leadership of the congressional committees overseeing Veterans Affairs will be different in January, but lawmakers’ focus on improving access to health care for vets and strengthening employee accountability at the department likely will remain the same. Tennessee Republican Rep. Phil Roe, a physician and an Army vet, will take over as chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, succeeding Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla. Miller…

Stars and Stripes: VA challenges Congress to restore employee bonuses. Sloan Gibson, the deputy secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs, is urging the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee to lift restrictions on employee bonuses instituted by Congress this year to crack down on misconduct. In a letter sent to the committee Monday, Gibson called the restrictions “counter-productive,” “unwarranted” and a hindrance in hiring and retaining high-quality employees.

Washington Examiner: VA vs. House showdown: Money for bonuses or addiction? Rep. Jeff Miller, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, sparred with the Department of Veterans Affairs this week over a law that redirects money from employee bonuses to a program designed to help veterans who have opioid addictions. Sloan Gibson, deputy secretary at the VA, said in a letter to Miller on Monday that the bonus-cutting legislation “defies logic” because it restricts incentives…

Government Executive: VA Bonus Dustup, Trump’s Government ‘Accountability’ Play and More. President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that he would tap budget hawk Mick Mulvaney to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget suggests agencies—and possibly feds themselves—are in for some belt tightening next year. The South Carolina Republican is a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus and a longtime proponent of cutting government, including government employees’ benefits.

The Washington Post (Federal Insider): Reports cite VA progress, despite contrary Republican rhetoric. During a period of growing Republican criticism and eagerness for major changes at the Department of Veterans Affairs, officials there might find some solace in two recent independent reviews of an agency that dishonored itself. A Harvard Business School case study, published in November and updated this month, concludes that the team assembled by VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald has “made impressive progress over the past year.”

POLITICO: Cleveland Clinic chief is Trump’s favorite for VA Secretary. Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove has emerged as the top contender to be Donald Trump’s secretary of Veterans Affairs, a selection that would bring more private-sector experience to a Cabinet already stocked with it. Multiple sources briefed by Trump’s transition team said that while no decision has been made, the president-elect wants the health care executive…

Military.com: Two Vietnam Vets Frontrunners for VA Secretary. Two Vietnam veterans emerged Wednesday as frontrunners for the post of Veterans Affairs Secretary in the Trump administration despite the pleas of major veterans service organizations to keep current VA Secretary Robert McDonald on the job. At his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump met first with Luis Quinonez, an Army veteran of Vietnam and founder of IQ Management Services, which provides health care services to the government and the private sector.

Omaha World-Herald: Editorial” A step toward giving Vets more crisis help. The federal government took a much-needed step forward this week to help America’s veterans needing crisis assistance. The Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday opened a second office, based in Atlanta, to handle calls to the VA’s Veteran Crisis Line. That move significantly increases the program’s capacity to aid veterans and service members seeking help for mental illness or emotional distress.

Leavenworth Times: Doctors say holidays can be a time of depression. Codi Schale, a psychologist with the Eisenhower VA Medical Center in Leavenworth, said people can experience “winter blues” when there is less daylight. She said a phenomenon called Seasonal Affective Disorder can be experienced by people when the days get shorter, a time when people likely spend more time indoors and there is a decreased level of activity.

The Huffington Post: The Invisible Veterans. Women are the fastest growing veteran population, with 2.2 million women veterans representing every branch of the military living nationwide, a number that is expected to double over the next ten years. That’s ten percent of the current veteran population. But as more women veterans return to civilian life, many are facing new battles at home.

TIME: Veterans Face Uphill Fight Getting College Credit for Military Training. Steve Mayou was dumbfounded when he was told he’d have to take courses in introductory physics and basic math on his path to a bachelor’s degree in sustainable building science and technology. Over a 14-year career in the Navy, Mayou had already worked as a nuclear reactor operator on three submarines. Yet just about the only thing his college offered in exchange for that experience was one credit for physical education.

Military.com: GI Bill Cracks Down On Licensing And Certification Testing. As part of the “Jeff Miller and Richard Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016” which was signed into law on December 16 the VA is now required to ensure that all licensing and certification tests paid for by the GI Bill meet minimum standards and are approved by state agencies. This is in line with the recent government strengthening of oversight on private schools and education programs.

Inside Higher ED: Some For-Profits Exceed Limits on Federal Funding. The U.S. Department of Education on Wednesday released the latest version of an annual report on compliance with the so-called 90/10 rule, which prohibits colleges from collecting more than 90 percent of their revenue from federal aid sources. The report identifies 17 for-profit colleges that exceeded the limit, up from 14 the previous year. Two of the for-profits, Pat Wilson’s Beauty College and United Medical and Business Institute, were out of compliance for two consecutive years…

American Legion Post 328, Southfield, Michigan Listing of Current Events in and around the Metro Detroit Area for and about Veterans, for the period December 22, 2016 – January 31, 2017http://www.legionpost328.org/events.html Sent in by our fellow VeteranTim Wirkus. Thanks Tim

“Thank You for Your Service” film at Angelika Mosaic Cinema – Jan 24, 7:30 PM. A screening of the documentary film, Thank You For Your Service, hosted by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 227, will take place at the Angelika Film Center on Tuesday, January 24, 7:30 PM. Dealing with the mental health issues confronting many recently returning veterans, this is described as one of the best films of the year. For more information, see the movie trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNJrXxHCGDU To purchase tickets, visit: http://gathr.us/screening/18521. There is no other way to buy tickets. The price is $14, set by the organization that is providing the film. The film takes aim at the failed mental health policies within the U.S. military and their tragic consequences. It tells the stories of four struggling Iraq War veterans, along with interviews of top military and civilian leaders. Observing the systemic neglect, the film argues for significant internal change and offers a roadmap of hope. Interviews include Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Admiral Mike Mullen, Generals David Petraeus and Loree Sutton, Sebastian Junger, Nicholas Kristof, Dexter Filkins, Senator Patty Murray, Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Colonels Lawrence Wilkerson and Dave Sutherland.

Women Veterans Alliance in partnership with our nonprofit partner California Capital Financial Development Corporation will be hosting the Women Veterans Alliance Unconference. These 3 day events are the largest outreach to women Veterans in California that will provide resources and an amazing experience for all women that served from WWII to current, representing all branches. Our goal is to equip, empower, and encourage participants by providing opportunities to connect with service providers, fellow women Veterans, employers, and through interactive workshops.